Often times, people look for the cheapest ways to get home repairs or maintenance done. One of the simplest and cost effective methods is by doing it yourself, also known as the DIY method. In efforts to save money as much as possible by adopting DIY methods, at times, you can put yourself and your house at risk by doing things yourself. Although, it is true that much of the house repairs can be done yourself, it is always a wiser idea to get it done by professionals in the field.
Home improvement products have become a lot more user-friendly and this causes people to become more confident when dealing with repairs using these products. Moreover, there are materials and instructions provided which greatly build the confidence of the people to repair things themselves. Although, a DIY project can seem easy to build and a lot cheaper, but in the long term it can cost you a lot more money. There may be some things that you can actually do yourself, but there are certain things that you should completely avoid doing yourself.
Let’s take a look at some reasons DIY isn’t smart:
Electrical works
Turning a switch on and off is one thing, but attempting to change faulty wiring or work with electrical issues, when you haven’t worked with them before, or you don’t have the slightest idea about them, can be nothing but dangerous. Electrical works are best handled by professionals. Don’t assume that you can do it yourself and go ahead with it. Taking precautions and following instructions is extremely crucial when it comes to dealing with electrical works. How can you take precautions, when you don’t even know what precautions to take? That’s why, it is best to work with professionals in the field. Remember that your insurances are often voided if works (such as electrical) are not undertaken by a licensed professional.
Plumbing repairs
Plumbing tasks can range from replacing a washer to a complete plumbing makeover. Plumbers (like electricians) are licensed for a reason. This is a serious trade and if you make a mistake and make things worse, it could cause you some serious problems. Often simply getting in a professional first time is better than having a go, doing it wrong and then having to get them to fix your efforts. Think about having an overflowing toilet or your pipe bursting – they are urgent matters that need quick and effective results.
Adding additions to your home
Knocking down a wall may seem like all fun and games, except when you realize that you may be knocking down electrical wiring, gas pipes or it’s a load bearing wall. This can cause massive problems for your house. This makes it extremely crucial to consult a contractor before you plan on doing it yourself. You might not know where the wires are, how long they are, how thick they are, etc. You need to consult a contractor who can help provide these details and even carry out the task smoothly without affecting any electrical works or gas pipes.
Roof repairs
Roof repair is another thing that you should completely avoid doing yourself. There are lots of risks associated with roof repairing. The greatest risk is the fact that you are working off the ground on an angle. If you slip by mistake, then there is nothing you can do about it! A fall can be life threatening. The worst part about it all is that if you make any changes, your insurance won’t cover you anymore. Moreover, roof work is usually at different angles rather than being straightforward, this makes it more of a challenge for any amateur roofer.
Garage door repairs
You need to be aware of the fact that garage doors cannot be repaired with the tools that you have in your house. It may seem like a simple task, but it is not. It also wouldn’t be wise for you to buy the tools so that you can repair it yourself, because the tools aren’t inexpensive. Also, the tools that you buy for this job are specific and cannot be used for other tasks. Thus, the best option would be for you to call upon a professional to get the repairs done. You wouldn’t want to sacrifice your health or cause any injuries to yourself in efforts to do garage door repairs yourself.
Tree removal
You are probably not aware of which direction or even the landing trajectory of the falling tree. This is why it is important for you not to carry out tasks like tree removal by yourself. It can be extremely dangerous and even life threatening. A professional takes into consideration a lot of factors before actually cutting a tree like the height, the weight and they are even aware of the angle at which they should cut. Leave dangerous works like these to professionals, they have been doing it for a long time and have the best knowledge about it. Ensure your tree loppers (particularly for large) trees are fully insured.
Time, Tools, Skills
At times too, you may feel you can do something yourself, such as painting a wall, replacing some tiles or adding a small concrete slab to put up a garden shed. If you are someone who is a little handy, it may not seem such a hard task. Do you have the tools you will need for the task? Whilst you may have the skills, do you have the time? Has the task been sitting on your “To Fix List” longer than you care to admit? Is that list constantly growing so that it’s becoming somewhat overwhelming or causing some unfriendly discussions in the household? Another important thing to remember is that whilst you may do your best, if you are not great at the task, will the outcome devalue your home? A wall painted with an unprepared and improperly sanded finish will not look good.
These are just few of the many things you should avoid doing yourself when you don’t have sufficient knowledge about it. It is very important to know what you are doing. If you plan on doing things yourself be well versed with it and go ahead only if you feel like you are actually capable of doing it yourself. Take care of yourself. In the process of trying to save some money and doing home repairs yourself, you might end up hurting yourself and causing injuries that may even last a lifetime. Why take the risk, when there are professionals out there who can handle these jobs?
As a professional handyman service, we know what we can do, our limitations and our skills. We have all our insurances in place and perform only works under $3,300 as we are not QBCC Licensed.
We remove the worry, stress and risk from a project, whether it’s as simple as nailing a paling in your fence, painting, tiling, plastering or timber work.
Reliable Property Repairs; we are Reliable by name; Reliable by nature.